Loose-leaf binder



Sept. 10, 1929. A. G. LOTTER LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Feb. 25, 192B Am/ph LUNEL- NN NN Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNrrEn ,STATES ADOLPI-I G. LOTTER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, `ASSIGNOR, BY MESNI "ASSIGN- MENTS, TO STATIONERS LOOSE LEAF COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN,

CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

Application filed February 23, 1928. Serial No.' 256,373.r

This invention relates to kcertain new and useful improvementsy in loose leaf binders and refers more 'particularly to the binder head per se. In the conventional loose leaf binder, a pair of heads are connected by post members which pass through the leaves and are operabley to accommodate various quantities of leaves. In the present embodiment, the post members are of the fiexible type and their free ends pass through apertures in one of the heads and are' connected with screw means for retracting and extending the posts, and this invention has as one of its objects the provision of improved means for guiding the posts through the apertures which means is formed of a single piece of bendable metal.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of improved means for connecting the ends ofthe flexible binder posts with adjustingscrew ymeans which obviates c the usual rivet and reduces the cost of manufacture. f i

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of bearing members for the adjusting screw means which are each formed of a single piece of bendable metal andfact as reinforcing members between the channel shaped sections of the head to provide a rigid support and prevent crushing of the sections during riveting, of head sections.

And a still further object of this invention resides in the provision of a head member for a loose leaf binder, which has a minimum number of parts so formed as to permit their production in quantities at a relatively low cost.

With the above andfother objects in view which appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and' arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understoodthat such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims. j

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I lhave so far deone of the bearing members;

vised for the l practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure lis a side view of a pair of binder heads embodying my invention, parts thereof being broken away and in section tlo'illus- Figure is ardetail, perspective View of one of the guide members before its assembly with the khead member.

Referring now more particularlyto the yaccompanying' drawing, 1n which likey numerals `designate ylike parts throughoutr the several views,'5 and 6 designate the upper and lower heads of loose leaf binder between which leaves, not shown, inay be clamped. Each head ymember is formed vof a pair of channel shaped sections 7 arranged with the f edges fof their flanges abuttingto provide a recess or chamber therebetween, andthe ends. thereof have end members 8 secured thereto, between which thecovers of the book (not shown)y are hingedly mounted on rods 9.

The head members are adjustably connected by Hexiblebinder posts 10 having their lower ends releasably secured in apertures 11 in the head member by screw means 12 and their upper ends passed through apertures formed in the web of the inner channel section ofthe upper head member 5 to be connected with an adjusting screw 13, as will be later described. s Theapertures in the head member 5 through which the flexiblefposts extend, are provided with guide members 14 which are substantially cup-shaped and eachy have a lug 15 extended rearwardly thereof to engage the adjacent outer face of the head memberA land a pair of ears 16 adapted to be passed throughopenings 17 in the head -member 'wall and struck over, as at 18, to maintain the guide member 4in position.` `'Ihat portion of the head member wall just inwardly of each opening 17 is pressed upwardly,`as at 19, to provide a rounded portion 20 over whichthe adjacent flexible post rides in its movement in and out of the head interior.

The adjusting screw 13 is rotatably mounted at each end in bearing members 21 which also function as reinforcing members to prevent collapsing of the sections 7 during the insertion of rivets 22 which pass through aligned apertures in the members 7, extended lugs 23 of the end memberS and the bearing members 21, to rigidly connect the parts. Each bearing member is formed from a single piece of bendable metal and has its ends folded upon themselves to provide a loop 241m which the adjacent end of the screw is positioned and the upper end portion 25 thereof has upwardly extended side flanges 26 which extend to a height equal to the distance between ythe lugs 23 to provide the reinforcing means.

The adjusting screw has' a right and left thread, each-extending from the center to a point adjacent the bearing'members, and have nut members 27 threaded thereon.- The members 27 are of a shape to conform with the e interior of the head member 5 and are provided with recesses 28 in longitudinal alignment with the apertures through which the lflexible post members extend, to receive the radjacent ends 29 of the post members, drilled lapertures 30 extending transversely with respect to the recesses 28 align with apertures in the ends 29and receive connecting pivot pins 31. The pins 31 are substantially' loose in the drilled apertures and have their heads 32 positioned withincounterbores 38 in the mem- "bers 27 so that they are substantially flush with the adjacent'portions of the nut members, and asthe members have'a snugL but sliding' lit within the interior of the head, outward movement of the pins is prevented by the head side walls.

Rotation of the adjusting screw by means of the crank or key 33 moves the nut members towards and away from each other to either draw the flexible 'binder posts into the upper head and consequently move the heads together, or viceversa. y

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the laccompanying drawing,

rit will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art to which an invention of this character appertains, that I have provided a loose leaf binder which is so constructed as to permit its production at a considerably reduced cost and in which the number'of parts is renel members at their ends, a substantially flexible post member having one end portion extensibly passed into the chamber of the binder head, screw means connected with said en-d portion to adjust the length of the post meinber extended from the binder head, bearing members for the screw means formed of a single piece of bendable metal and providing a reinforcing member positioned between the projections of the end members to maintain the same in spaced relation, and securing means passed through aligned apertures in the channel members, the projections of the end members and the bearing members.

2. In a loose leaf binder including a binder head, a substantially flexible post member extensibly connected with the head and screw 'means connected with the post member to adfthrough the walls of the binder head and the ends of the bearing members, the reinforcing means preventing the collapse of the binder head walls during insertion of the securing means.

3.111 a loose leaf bin-der including a hollow binder head and a flexible post member Yadapted to 'be'passed through an aperture in the wall of the head to extensibly lie therewithin, a substantially cup-,shaped guide member positioned within the head and over the aperture, a lug carried by the guide member and passe-d through the aperture and ena gaging the outer face of the head, a pair of ears carried by the guide member and passed through 'adjacent apertures, said ears being struck over the head and, with the lug, se-

curing the guide member kin place, and a rounded portion .over which the post member passed in itsmOVement into'and out of the head interior, said rounded portion being formed by striking a portionof the head wall inwardly.

4L. In ak loose leaf binder including a hollow binder head, a flexible post member adapted to be passed through an aperture in one wall of the head to extensibly lie therein, an adjusting screw within the head and a nut member threaded on the screw, the nut member having a relatively snug i'it within the head interior and having a transverse bore, and a pin loosely mounted in the nut member bore for connecting the adjacent end of the flexible post member with the nut member, one sidewall of the head vmember Vretaining the pm in position.

5. Ina loose leaf binder including a hollow binder hea-d, a flexible post member adapted to be passed through an aperture in one wall of the head to extensibly lie therein, an adjusting screw within the head and a nut member threaded on the screw, the nut member having a relatively snug it within the head interior and having a transverse bore coun terbored at one end, and a headed pin loosely mounted in the nut member bore with its head received in the counter-bore for connecting the adjacent end of the flexible post member with the nut member, one sidewall of the head member closing the counter-bore to retain the pin in position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ADOLPH Gr. LOTTER. 

